Closing The Ties
by lovingthis
Summary: Closing The Ties In Three Movements is the final installment of the Line Of Sight series by lovingthis. As suggested by the name, there will be three chapters, each designed to answer those small questions that still nag at your mind from the last four stories and, of course, bring the series to a close.
1. Chapter 1

Closing The Ties (In Three Movements)

HEY GUYS! Guess who's back at University! (Finally? Already?) Well I'm back! And I've stuff to upload!

This was- as you know- going to be another long story in the Line Of Sight series- but I edited it down. There were a few dedications I put to a couple of chapters as I wrote them, due to conversations. Therefore there is one to Cengiz (09/09/11) for saying in a message "Btw. I wouldn't call it a competition between Jess and Bounty, everyone knows the dog will win." You'll know why she gets the dedication when you read!

Now for a little bit of Becker/Bounty/Jess and every other coupling you can think of ;) :P

ENJOYYY!

* * *

Early morning, Becker was sat on the floor of the shooting range, Bounty next to him. Jess was stood almost on top of him, a gun in hand.

"Okay, keep your feet further apart."

The blind man frowned as his hands met her heels, they'd spent ten minutes on a heels off/ heels on argument and he had finally conceded. The debate ended when Jess whined and ran a hand through his hair; Becker stood no chance. He slid his hands over her lower legs, trying to understand how she was standing, she shivered at the contact.

"Yes, that's perfect. Keep them still. Okay, keep your hips steady."

He moved to his knees, before rising fully to his feet, checking more of Jess's posture with each movement.

"Great. Take aim. Done it? Good. Remember that there will be recoil. But don't flinch, you won't realise it until it's happened. Now, what I want you to do is take a deep breath. Hold it."

He placed his body behind hers, holding a hand to her abdomen. Jess started laughing.

"I said hold it!"

"Okay, sorry." She bit her lip as she got back into position.

Placing an arm on her stomach and using his other to help her hold the gun, Becker moved his head to Jess's shoulder and continued with his instruction.

"Okay, breath in again and _don't_ start laughing. Perfect. Now, when I tap your hand, gently squeeze the trigger."

He pushed their ear protectors into place and resumed his hold before tapping Jess' hand lightly.

After the shot rang out Jess started to laugh in shock.

"I shot a gun! A real gun! With real bullets!"

Becker smiled at her excitement.

"That you did, Miss Parker. Now, lets find out how you did."

Reaching past her, Becker fumbled to press the button to retrieve the target. Then, after a quick though, he spun Jess around to face him. She gasped as her hands met his hard chest.

Pressing his lips into her neck he whispered gently, "I couldn't have you finding out how you did before me now, could I?"

He lifted his head to brush his lips again over her jaw line. Shivering at the fleeting contact, Jess didn't notice one of Becker's hands running over the target, which had stopped to hang just behind her. He teased her again, almost kissing her on the lips before pulling away.

"Kill shot."

"I don't care about the freaking shot. Kiss me."

Becker laughed at her impatience. "No, no. I think I can trust you with an EMD."

"You'll trust me with live ammo before you let me use an EMD? I've used one before you know."

"I know. But _I_ didn't actually _let_ you." He stepped away from her, regretting the action when her warmth left. Jess's eyes narrowed at his words- she was pretty sure that Becker had allowed her to use a real gun before an EMD just to make the point. "Go on, pick the second smallest."

"Really?"

"I trust you. You know how to change it onto the lowest setting. But don't press any of the other buttons. You got me?"

"Change the setting. No other buttons. Got it."

Becker smiled again as he heard her heels leaving for the EMD.

"Hey Bounty, where are you?"

She gave a small whine in reply and he walked over to her, scratching her behind her ears. "You're my favourite Bounty in the world you know that right, girl?" She pawed gently at his knee. "Good good."

"Okay, Becker. I've got it. I just- OH!" One of Jess's heels slipped on a dip on the uneven concrete floor of the range. As she fell, the EMD slipped out of her grasp, and cursing her stupidity for not putting the strap over her shoulder, Jess lunged for the weapon. In her haste her finger caught through the trigger and it shot.

-/-

"Oh my God! Becker? Becker?"

The solder faintly became aware of Jess shaking him and a low noise in his ears.

"Crap, my head." Pushing himself into an upright position Becker covered his face with his hands. "Ow, Jessica! What did you shoot me for?"

"I'm so so so so so unbelievably sorry."

"Christ, I should have let you keep hold of the lethal weapon. I'd probably stand more of a chance."

He spread his legs open in front of him, elbows on upper thighs and fingers massaging his temple. "What's that noise?"

"Bounty. She's not happy with me. Tried to bite my hand off when I first tried to wake you."

"If you're not more careful in the future I'll let her!"

The growling increased and Jess let out a small shriek as Bounty pushed her out of the way, desperate to protect her master.

"Heyyy," Becker grinned as the dog tried to lick his face. "Who's my bestest girl?"

From her position to the side Jess crossed her arms and pouted. She was used to vying for a guys attention- she only ever wanted the best. But how was she to compete with a dog? It was hopeless feat.

"Woah!"

"What is it, Becker?"

"I feel slightly dizzy." He scrunched up his face and placed a hand over his eyes, rubbing them. "Bounty? Let's go to the medical bay."

The dog stopped licking his face and continuously nudged him until he got to his feet. "My head _kills_."

Jess continued to apologise all the way to the medical bay as Becker rubbed his face, he felt like his head was going to explode. In his temple, his eyes and back of his skull, he throbbed. The ache not diminishing despite his attempts to ease the pain.

"I'm so sorry Becker. I really am!"

"It's okay." Becker removed his hand from his face as they turned to corner to the medical bay. "Urgh. I feel like I practically live in this place." He complained as the unnaturally clean smell reached him.

"It's not that bad since they redecorated. They have nice colours on the wall to make it feel homely. Although, I suppose that's no comfort to you. Um… Becker?"

Jess looked confused as she turned to find the man a few paces back, facing a wall. As she watched he reached out a hand, unexplicably stopping it millimetres before it touched the wall.

"Light blue?"

Goosebumps prickled over Jess's skin as she heard the words. "Yes. It's… It's light blue."

-/-

Jess was almost forcibly removed from the medical bay as she asked one question too many during the Doctors' examination of Becker.

They couldn't answer her questions before they completed the testing. They didn't know if Becker's sight had returned or if the signal to his brain had been altered by the electric shock and he now could see one colour, which happed to be the colour of the walls. Either the addition of sight or the EMD blow had given the soldier a headache and he was ordered to lay back with his eyes shut until the EMD effect, at least, started to wear off.

The brightly coloured girl had insisted that she knew best and tried to take over, interrupting the Doctors' comments and ordering Becker around. As she was pushed towards the doors she started to complain insisting "I knocked him out with an EMD and he's my boyfriend. What do you think I'll do to you?" Becker laughed at her comments and reassured her that he was okay and he would find her when he was allowed out.

Bounty attempted to jump onto the bed that Becker was lying on, whining when her wound prohibited the action. One of the orderlies took pity on the dog and lifted her onto the covers. During the previous months when Becker was required to enter the medical bay they had come to accept the fact that Bounty _was_ going to sit on Becker whether they liked it or not.

-/-

A couple of hours, two cups of drugs and a nap later it was determined that Becker's sight had returned and, subject to the doctor's telling him so, Becker guessed it was near 20:20. Theoretically, he thought, since it was never muscle damage, his eyes _should_ work as well as before- and he ought to thank Matt for insisting he protected his eyes.

Sleeping itself seemed to do wonders as his brain attempted to keep up with the sudden influx of information. After awaking and being seen to by the Doctors, undergoing multiple tests, again, and being force fed hospital type food Becker was finally freed up, allowing Bounty to ask for attention. Becker glanced down at the mass of fur lying on him, the mere feel of glancing making him feel on top of the world.

"Bounty, you are gorgeous!" Becker held his girl's head in both of his hands looking at her wide brown eyes, taking note of the white stipe of fur which followed the ridge in her nose, to cover her muzzle. He looked at her closely, taking in the view that he had never seen before. "And I bet you were just the cutest when you were smaller, with those big paws of yours!"

He became aware that a couple of the Doctors were watching him. He cleared his throat and sat back again, patting the side of his bed to encourage Bounty to lie next to him. The dog looked confused for a second, then leant down at her master's command and whined. The man frowned before realising what he'd done. He had, for the first time ever, ignored Bounty's affections because he was being watched. He was self-conscious. Becker reprimanded himself, that wasn't fair on her. Bounty had been a faithful friend, the only living being who knew _everything_ he had been though. Becker sighed at his own stupidity. Who cared if some people saw him being affectionate? For over a year, now, he hadn't been able to tell if he were being watched or not. So, why should it start to matter now?

Yes, Becker could _see_. But there was no reason for him to rebuild the walls he had once tried so hard to maintain.

In fact, he wasn't going to. Ever. He had wasted enough of his life being emotionally incompetent, lost enough time and missed enough sights during his blindness.

Sod it.

If Becker wanted to be a softy at times then the world would have to deal with it.

"Come 'ere, Bounty!" The dog jumped up at his face, licking him happily. "I didn't ask for a shower, girl!"

-/-

In the early evening, Becker, in a daze, walked into the main Hub area. Holding Bounty's harness out of habit, but with a huge smile on his face, he was almost overwhelmed as he took in the view. Up on the raised platform, having just pestered Lester on if there was, or was not any truth in the 'Becker Rumors' was his team.

With a half gasp and half chuckle of disbelief he took in the sights that he had been missing for so long.

The ARC soldiers were just below the platform, stood to attention for their leader. The one who had taught them more about what it means to be a man then any other.

Not wanting to suffer the emotional experience of _seeing_ his core team in front of the soldiers, Becker, half attempting a serious expression, addressed the men who were once, possibly once more, under his command.

"I would like to-" The smile broke through and he threw his arms in the air. "Oh screw it! Off you go and do whatever the hell you like for the rest of the day." The stood still in surprise. "Off! Now! Before I change my mind and set laps."

The men scampered, leaving past him, congratulations, pats on the back and words of admiration floating by with them. Becker just couldn't stop smiling at the faces, there was no way he was going to be taking any of this for granted. He would be forgiven for promising to _never_ blink again. He was not going to miss any sight ever again if he had any choice, he would read into every action, he would remember it all.

Abby had dyed her hair a red colour. In her slack trousers and a vest top, Becker was glad she hadn't changed too much since he last saw her. She was, however, resting a hand on her stomach. Random or unintentionally protective, Becker wasn't sure but this was part of his 'noticing everything' plan.

Connor looked a little older and Becker was sure his eyes looked smaller than before, but, all in all, with a loose hoodie and slacks Connor looked like the man he had been before the Cretaceous, if a bit more muscled.

Lawrence was the same person Becker remembered from his teenage years. He was pretty sure that the image of Lawrence which he held in his head would never change- even if the two were to grow into their nineties Becker was certain he would still be seen as the loopy haired, lanky man eager to join the army and save the world. It most definitely didn't reflect the sight before him, but it couldn't be helped; there was too much history between them for anything else to be seen.

Emily still looked amazing in her mish-mash of clothing styles. Becker frowned slightly as he saw her fiddling with her ring finger and wondered if there was something he had missed. But there was a lack of jewelry. The cogs in his brain got to work to try and see if there was any significance to the action, then he decided to let it go and wait until he'd calmed down a little.

Finally, he looked at Matt, a bruise covered part of his face from an incident at an anomaly site the day before. He did, however, look better than Becker had ever seen before. He guessed that Emily was the reason.

"MATE!" He laughed. "YOU'RE BEAUTIFUL!"

Lester groaned from the back of the group.

Matt grinned, winking. "Right back atcha, man!"

They performed an overly dramatic run in to each other's arms, Becker leaping up the steps in one bound, topping it off with a large sloppy kiss to the edge of the other's mouth. The girls and Connor double over in laughter while Lester dryly remarked on how _much_ trauma Becker must have suffered.

-/-

"Where's Jess?" Becker lounged against the railing.

"I thought she had stayed with you?"

"No, she was asked to leave during the tests this morning."

"It's six now!"

"I know. I thought she'd be here."

Right on cue Jess's heels approached. Turning, Becker found her carrying an arm load of papers. He jumped down for the platform and ran to her, sweeping the work from her arms and onto a nearby desk, then pulling her into the light.

She gasped, not expecting the action. The last she had heard, Becker was still in the medical bay and she was doing all she could to keep her mind occupied. She looked up into his eyes as his hands grasped her face and her heart momentarily stopped.

He was looking at her.

He was actually looking _at_ her.

Squealing in happiness, she threw her arms around his neck, her feet lifting from the floor as he picked her up and spun her around.

"Thank you." He whispered into her hair.

"For what? Shooting you?" Jess grinned as her feet touched the ground again, her body still pressed flush against Becker. Leaning up she tried to kiss him just for him to pull back.

He hadn't changed his mind had he? She dropped he gaze to his neck where her wrists were pressed against his pulse points. He didn't like what he saw when he looked at her.

One of Becker's arms tightened around her waist, the other sneaked up her back to push under her hair and hold the back of her neck.

"Look at me."

She immediately complied and again her heart skipped a beat, getting lost in his eyes.

"Smile for me, Jessie."

Breathing harshly at the force of the emotions running though her, Jess's eyes flicked to the man's lips before the biggest smile grew on her face.

Without a prompt, the two began to laugh, arms tightening, pulling the other closer than they ever thought possible. Becker's second arm slipped up Jess's back to slip over her shoulder, coming round to pull her hair from her face.

He watched every expression pass through her eyes, knowing that, even if her were to live until the end of time, he would never tire of watching her. As his head tilted, still in laugher, to meet hers, Jess's eyes flickered shut.

Becker pulled back, laughter gone. She opened her eyes again in confusion.

The smile returned. "That's better." Brushing his thumbs over her cheeks he leant forwards and, keeping eye contact, kissed her.

He couldn't remember any feeling that could ever compare to the feel of her lips at that moment, any feeling that could compare to losing himself in her eyes.

Tempted as he was to deepen the kiss, Becker pressed his lips harder against hers then pulled back and frowned.

"Jess?"

"Uhuh." She was unable to form a coherent word.

"Why did you lie to me?"

That got her attention. "When have I ever lied to you?"

"My birthday. You told me you'd bought me my favourite black shirts. They have the right texture, I'll give you that, but why am I wearing a lime green top?"

From the other side of the room came a chorus of laughter.

"Told you would wouldn't get away with it!"

Becker lowered an arm back around Jess's waist, making sure she couldn't leave, before turning to Connor.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you know she _said_ she bought you a _stack_ of shirts in _black_?"

"Yes?" He drew out the 'e' starting to realise where it was going.

"Weeeeeell-"

"CONNOR!"

"Jess?" There was a surprised smirk in Becker's voice.

"Yes, Becker?"

"What am I going to see in my wardrobe when I get home?"

-/-

Later that night, Jess returned to Becker's house and watched in despair as he proceeded to throw out all the coloured shirt that were stashed in his wardrobe and draws.

"You know everyone thought you looked great in them." She shifted back on his bed to allow her to lean against the headboard, one of her legs crossed over the other. Bounty whined at the edge of the bed, unable to make the jump up until Jess leant over and gave her a hand.

"I'm sure they were just being polite, Jess."

"No! They really did think that you looked good."

Becker turned, a purple shirt in hand, and raised an eyebrow. "Why do I find that hard to believe?" He held the shirt up against his body to prove the point.

"Don't throw that out! You haven't worn it yet!" Becker ignored her and chucked it onto the rapidly growing 'reject' pile in the corner of his room. Jess pressed her index finger to her temple and thumb under her chin as she tilted her head, trying to think of another way to get Becker to stop in his mission to reduce his wardrobe to the colour black. As her free hand rubbed Bounty she smiled.

"It's a waste really." There was a sigh in the girl's voice and Becker could tell it wasn't to do with the clothes. He almost resisted before…

"What is?"

"Well…" She had her matter of fact voice on. "Oh, never mind."

Becker rolled his eyes. "What?"

"You get your sight back and this is what you do?" She gestured at the surrounding mess. "It's a, a waste."

The moment the words were out Becker knew two things. The first, Jess was right, he had promised never to take it for granted and he was doing it now. The second was that she had played him; like an expert.

He mocked glared at her for a few moments as he attempted to consider a way to make her pay for knowing him too well. Then internally smirked. Becker mimicked a regretful expression, sitting himself on the edge of his bed by Jess's hip.

"I guess you're right, Jess."

"Of course I am!" She beamed at him.

Smiling back, Becker leant forward over his bed and placed his hands on the pillows either side of Jess where she sat. She raised an eyebrow in challenge. Becker gave a large smirk, leaning close to her lips, waiting for her to dare to pull back, then dropped to her neck as she did. Before Jess realised what had happened Becker had her pinned, he sucked quickly on her neck before leaving the rapidly forming bruise and kissed along her jawline.

"Did you just..?" Jess ran a hand down her neck. "BECKER! DID YOU.." She wriggled her way out from underneath him and made her way to the bathroom.

Becker grinned, sat smartly on the edge of the bed and counted, while stroking Bounty. "Three… Two… Oneeeee…"

"BECKER!" Right on cue Jess ran back into the room. "You marked me! I'm never going to be able to cover that up tomorrow! I'm seeing my parents in the evening, everyone at work is going to see, I-"

"Eah." His dismissive tone of voice had Jess pout. "It looks good on you." The soldier winked, stood, wrapped his arms around Jess and kissed away any complaints.

* * *

Perhaps one a week, yes?

Unless LOTS of you guys want to leave me a review ;)

Yes I am _that_ shameless :D

Let me know what you think :)

Primeval love x


	2. Chapter 2

So, do any of you remember me saying "I should get this all finished in 3 weeks."

That didn't happen.

These last two weeks:

I had the worst labs at uni. I spent Monday doing the preliminary work, Tuesday 9-6 in labs doing the experiment. Tuesday evening starting project write up and eating. Wednesday in the library doing more write up. Wednesday midafternoon- evening- night getting ready and going to Christmas Ball, Thursday morning last minute addition and handing in the write up, Thursday afternoon was spend doing all the work I had put off and handing that in by 5.30.  
Friday, I was up and in uni for 9, at work in town for 12, I finished promptly at 6 and was picked up immediately to go home for my Dad's birthday meal for the evening. Back to uni-home on Saturday. Boyfriend got ill in the evening. Spent Sunday looking after him. Monday I took him to hospital and stayed till midnight. Tuesday I spent in hospital still. Wednesday he left, Thursday I went to his parents home until a couple of days ago when I got back to my normal home. I've had no internet since.

This isn't designed to bore you with my life but to show how little time I have had. I barely get to open my laptop these days :(

I do miss you all!

Disclaimer- I own nothing to do with this :( Not even a DVD.

Okay so the update!

* * *

Over the next two months, life was perfect. After a few altercations, Marianne had finally comprehended the idea that there was no her and Becker and that no matter what she did there would _never_ be her and Becker again. Becker's sight had been repeatedly tested and everything was as it should be.

Jess and Becker were taking their relationship slowly. Or at least they were trying to! They'd both been trying to fight their attraction for so long that now they had each other they were struggling to keep their hands to themselves. Becker still had reservations about being too old for Jess, despite there no longer being a worry that she would become his carer.

Jess, herself was still new to the world of relationships. As much as she cared for Becker, as much as she loved him, she found it hard to trust either of them to take the 'next step.' Each time she went over, each time they kissed, her mind was going wild. Insecurities raced, the problem being her inexperience compared to Becker's. She knew in her head that it shouldn't mean anything but it was still there.

Lastly, but certainly not least on the list of things that Becker worried about, Bounty's wound from the surgery had fully healed so Jess was taking the opportunity to teach her to dance to the cheesiest songs she could find. Which, sadly, only added to the list of things for Becker to worry over.

-/-

While Jess was ecstatic that the not-so-little dog was better, Bounty Hunter had taken to following the colourful girl around whenever she was at Becker's, which was most of the time.

At first it had been the cutest thing in the world, Bounty's enthusiasm when she greeted Jess was greater than when she saw Becker, when the dog had an option on who to sit on she would choose Jess, but when Jess nearly fell over the collie while leaving the bathroom it started to get annoying. Soon Jess couldn't leave the house without hearing Bounty start whining softly from inside. She found her feet pinned to the floor by a 19Kg 'puppy' when she stood at the sink getting a glass of water and when she sat down on the sofa, Bounty would jump up, pressing her nose into Jess's arm, demanding attention.

"Bounty!" Jess laughed half in frustration. "Just lie down and keep me company, _quietly_!

The dog continued, pawing at her sleeve.

"Look! You're getting attention!" Jess vigorously rubbed both of her hands over Bounty's head, making the girl lift her head into the hands and smile in the manner only a dog can. The second Jess stopped Bounty demanded more.

"Bounty." Jess looked the dog in the eyes. "Down!" She spoke firmly but the girl still didn't listen. "Bounty, I said- Bounty! Bounty Hunter! BECKER! YOUR DOG WONT LEAVE ME ALONEEEEE!"

Becker walked into the room, grinning at the sight before him. "You said you wanted her to like you." Then in an authorative voice he spoke to Bounty. "Lie down."

She immediately complied, her head falling into Jess's lap.

"Show off!"

"You love it really."

Jess rolled her eyes, just because she loved it didn't mean that Becker had to know. "Siddown." She grinned as Becker complied.

"At least you follow my commands."

Becker's eyes narrowed as he realised he had been had. "Alright, alright. What are we watching then?"

"North and South."

He looked at her blankly. "What?"

"It's kind of… Pride and Prejudice but in the industrial revolutionary times."

"Jess…" There was a warning in his voice.

"Yes, Becker?" She didn't give him a chance to reply. "I believe you said you didn't want to miss a sight." She raised an eyebrow and, for a moment, Becker contemplated asking her if she'd practiced. "So, you're going to sit here, shut up and enjoy this film with me, okay?"

"How long is it?"

"It's a BBC mini series. Four one hour episodes."

Becker made to stand. "WH-" He broke off and froze at Jess's pleading eyes. "Oh what I'd do for you." The man collapsed back onto the sofa, turned, smiled at Jess, then placed an arm over her shoulders, kissing her head.

Sometime in the third episode, Becker had finally stopped playing the part of the interested boyfriend and started to watch specks of dust glow in a tunnel of light from the space between his curtains. Watching the patterns, he turned down his sense of sight and turned up the feel of the airflow around him, catching the slight draft from an open window upstairs and mapped a path a speck would take before it happened. He smiled at he saw he was right, the looked down to Jess, checking she hadn't noticed. A twitch on her lap drew his attention further from the TV and to his dog. Dreaming, Bounty's eyes flickered and her muzzle twitched. He let out a small laugh when her back legs jumped a little in her sleep.

"I can't believe I missed this."

-/-

The following week was pretty mellow in ARC terms, there was a distinct lack of incursions and everyone was starting to get bored, Connor had decided he was going to learn to rollerblade, Abby started to play French music in the menagerie in the hope of educating the animals, Lester was, secretly, ordering very expensive suits over the internet - and claiming expenses- and Emily was researching teas and planning on growing her own in one of the many temperature controlled ARC laboratories.

Matt had resorted to cleaning his desk and had found something which had surprised him. In one of the top draws, under papers referring to various animals and incursions, he discovered a number of keepsakes he had retrieved from Becker's desk the day the Becker lost his sight. He immediately went in search of the man.

The Soldier was found in the training room working with Lawrence, Bounty and a small number of soldiers. They were 'playing' the same shooting game they had used back when they were training the blind Becker. But as opposed to normal, Leroy had been blindfolded.

Since Becker had returned to become joint Head of Security, Lawrence had realised that he still held an advantage over the rest of the team by his heightened senses. Taking advantage of the quietness of work, he had figured it would be a good idea to train everyone up to be more attuned, especially since these extra skills of Becker's had proven so valuable.

Matt waited until Leroy was defeated, jumped on by Evans, before calling Becker into the hallway outside.

-/-

Now that Bounty didn't need to be too close to Becker in the case of an anomaly alert at the ARC, she ventured as far as she liked when Becker was busy working. Her collar security band enabled her to venture as she pleased and after letting animals out of the menagerie three times she had _eventually_ learnt to shut doors behind her, much to the relief of all staff members.

Her favourite male in the ARC, after the Alpha and Beta of the pack, was Lester. Sure, Bounty _loved_ Connor. The floppy haired man was always happy to give her lots and lots of attention and he even snuck her tennis balls. And Lawrence knew just how she like to be scratched behind the ear and rub her belly. But Lester was a challenge and Bounty loved it.

The pack Alpha and Beta left the others of the pack. Bounty got bored of their needless whines and decided she wanted to have some fun. Nudging the door open she left the room and made her way down the hall to the central room. The Alpha's chosen female saw Bounty approach and produced some of the delicious and rich dark treat. Bounty stayed with her until she was denied any more then moved on further, the laugh of the girl and her shout of "cupboard love much?!" followed after her.

-/-

If Jess had been under the impression that when Bounty left her she would be able to return to work, she was very much mistaken. She had caught a reflection in her ADD screens and looked around just in time to see Bounty Hunter open Lester's door and casually stroll in.

From Lester's reaction, there was nothing Jess could do but watch using ARC CCTV.

The girl's eyes were glued to the screen as she watched her boss get hassled with an intensity of which she had ever been subjected. As Lester attempted to type on his keyboard Bounty nudged at his left hand, desperate to get attention. After five repeated nudges, Lester gave up trying to remain in the same position and shifted his chair closer to the desk and raised his elbow out of the dog's reach.

This didn't stop Bounty, who, with determination with starkly resembled her owner, persisted in her chosen task. Slinking around Lester's chair, the dog curled under Lester's feel and placed her weight on one of his perfectly polished shoes. Jess's giggled attracted odd looks as Lester bit back a curse and pushed himself away from the table. Bounty followed, sticking her nose on his knees before jumping up and licking Lester's face.

"Down!" Lester's crisp command was heard through the glass walls.

Bounty gently slid to the floor and it seemed, for half a minute Lester had got his way. Then the dog was gradually shifting herself back into a sitting position, her head creeping under an arm rest. Sighing, Lester starting to shift his forearm back and forth as he typed, hoping that as he brushed over her muzzle, the contact would be enough to keep her happy.

Sadly for the e-mail he was drafting, he was wrong.

Bounty knew she had cracked him. After poking the man in the side several more times and getting no reaction more than a grunt, Bounty moved her head back, lent on her hind legs and steadied herself on Lester's arm. For a couple of moments, he attempted to continue, then gave up.

Jess couldn't resist, turning from the screens, she whipped her mobile from the desk and spun around to take a photo for herself. At that moment she saw a moment that could never be recreated. Lester twisted his seat in an attempt to see Bounty better. While moving, he shifted himself from the seat. As he made to return his weight, Bounty pushed at the chair. Lester slipped from the edge and to the ground with an "oof."

The young dog had firmly won as she climbed onto the man and started to lick, a lopsided grin on her face.

-/-

"Mate, I know you told me to throw away everything in your desk but you didn't really expect me to did you?"

Becker gave him a sharp look of surprise. He had forgotten all about that. "I don't know. I never thought about it."

"Well, think."

Becker straightened his shoulders and clasped his hands together behind his back. "Matt, just tell me what this is about."

The older man smiled. It had been good to see Becker return to his old stuff, getting down to business.

"I saved something for you." He handed Becker an envelope. "I added to it too."

Inside, Becker found a number of photographs.

The first, the one Becker remembered from his desk, was Christmas day three years previous. The ARC had been reopened but Abby and Connor were yet to return.

There had been an anomaly alert that day so all the staff were spending Christmas in the ARC.

One of the techies had been thoughtful enough to bring a camera and Jess had organised a tree earlier that week.

The workplace Secret Santa had almost fallen through when people bought in the gifts on the wrong day, confusing everything. But after Jess worked some of her magic they had all piled the- mostly- still unwrapped gifts under the tree so it conveniently turned out that on Christmas day they all had a gift to open.

The still image was of Matt, Jess and Becker, bathed in the soft glow of the hub lighting.

Becker was wearing a multicoloured woollen hat, courtesy of Jess, he had correctly guessed. The girl in question was wearing an oversized black t-shirt which fell past her skirt, a makeshift belt of tinsel giving it some shape.  
They were the only people in the ARC who had to buy a gift for the person who was also their Santa.

Matt had antler ears on his head and a home designed shirt depicting two stick men. One was holding a long line and the other missing his body with a shocked expression on his face. The shirt had the caption 'I've got your back.'

It was generally assumed that the gift had been given by an ARC soldier.

Stood in the middle of the group, Becker was grinning smugly- and rather cheekily- at the camera with a raised eyebrow. He had one arm over Matt's shoulder, the other around Jess's waist as she leant up to kiss him on the cheek. Matt having dangled mistletoe over their heads.

The second photo, Matt explained, was a copy of one hidden in his own desk. It had been taken just after the first when Jess had taken the mistletoe from Matt and held it over the men's heads, grinning like a little imp. The cameraman had perfectly timed the shot to where both men were _just_ touching lips, trying not to laugh, while Lester was seen stood in the background, apparently in conversation with a staff member but his head turned to look on at the two men in horror.

After that there were three more, ones which Becker never knew had even been taken.

Becker was straddling a bench in the ARC locker rooms, Jess in front of him, one knee tucked under herself and on the surface so that her skirt wasn't hitched up. Between them was a set of shaving gear and a flannel. Becker immediately recognised it as the time Jess had told him he had missed a bit when shaving. He remembered suppressing shivers as Jess's fingers had gently touched his face, relishing in the feel of her. The expression of content at her touch was clearly written on his face, Jess smiling as she pushed his hair from his face, having just complained that he needed it cut.

"God, I was an idiot."

Matt chuckled. "You both were idiots."

"Don't talk about Jess like that."

Matt merely laughed again. "You both got better though. Look at the next picture."

Doing as instructed, Becker was certain that, for as long as he lived, that photo would forever be his favourite.

It was the day he regained his sight, he and Jess stood under the brightest light in the Hub, bodies pressed against each other, arms embracing, bright smiles on their faces and their heads mere millimetres apart as they moved to kiss.

He stared at the picture for a few moments, lost in it, before Matt cleared his throat.

"Oh right. Sorry, Matt. The last one."

Fishing it out of the envelope Becker nearly dropped everything in laughter. It was the time Emily had tried to teach him Braille. Becker had got increasingly frustrated as Emily reprimanded him on his slow learning so, when he was positive she wasn't looking, he had reverted to childhood, screwing up his face and sticking his tongue out at her.

Bounty was visible in the background, on one of the ARC desks. The dog had half climbed into one of Jess's oversized bags. The dog was too large to fully fit and in her mouth was a half masticated bar of chocolate.

To top the entire picture off, it turned out Emily _had_ been facing him at the time and was leaning casually back in her chair. In retaliation to his childishness, she had stuck her middle finger in his face.

"I didn't know she swore!" Becker laughed in incredulity at the photo. Whoever took it was, by all rights, a legend.

"Like a sailor, mate."

* * *

LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK! I'VE MISSED YOU ALL!

One more left! I hope you don't mind if you have to wait a little while for it.

On the plus side, there are exams coming up so I will be writing to procrastinate! :)

AND MERRY CHRISTMAS IF I DON'T TALK TO YOU SOONER!

Oh and my boyfriend's fine! I meant to say that at the top! Ah well I'm down here now xD


	3. Chapter 3

No your eyes do not deceive you I have updated and FINISHED!

Wow! Well I've just written the closing AN for this story and I don't think I can say anything else. Just as always-

Please enjoy this. Savour our last chapter together in this series and be sure to click that review button. My feelings right now really need you to hit that review button!

* * *

Jess spun her chair around to face the ADD, tapping a few buttons and opening coms.

"Oooohkay my beautiful people, we have an alert and possible incursion. Patching co-ordinates to ARC vehicles six and nine. I'm afraid everyone else is going to have to follow, we've been caught in the middle of an upgrade so no sat nav in the other vehicles."

_"Hey, Abby! You take six, I'll be nine!"_

_"Connor! Stop it!"_

_"Just havin' a joke, Becker. Gheeze! Plus you'd totally make a crude sixty-nine joke to Jess!" _

_"What do you mean a 'sixty-nine joke' _

_"I'll, um, explain later, Emily."_

_"If you've all finished babbling, Jess has been trying to say something."_

"Thanks, Lawrence, you truly are my knight in shining armor." Somewhere Becker was heard spluttering. "Second alert to beta team. Co-ordinates sending to vehicle nine-"

_"Aw that's no fun!"_

Jess watched as her alpha team scrambled out of nine and replaced by Leroy. "Co-ordination will be performed on two separate channels. If Beta could switch over now." A few seconds allowed for each team member to adjust their comm settings.

"Alright, I've got you Matt, eta 20 minutes." Jess hit a key. "Leroy, eta 40 mins. Matt, you're at another warehouse, industrial machinery present, I've called an evac, just hacking into CCTV now. Leroy, I have no eyes on the anomaly in your area so far. Residential area, I'm trying to get a clearer location and find it's street."

As the SUV's progressed towards their locations, Jess fidgeted, flicking back through her channels.

"Jess, hand me a comm." Stacey had appeared behind her without notice.

"What? Oh, hm? Wait, sorry Leroy, not you."

"I'll take Leroy's team, Jess. Come on, help me set up another computer."

-/-

_"Matt."_

"What's up, Jess?"

_"The creature's broken through one of the tech rooms at the location. I've lost the cameras." _

"Isn't there anything you can do?"

_"I'm sorry, Matt. The lower ground still has visual, I can get you to the anomaly and monitor all activity around it. But you're on your own in finding the creature unless it climbs back down a level."_

"Alright Jess, thanks."

The SUV's pulled up outside the worksite, Becker jumped out before the engines were shut down, distributing EMD's and handing Connor a closing device. Abby pecked Connor on the lips as they went their separate ways, following Matt and Becker.

The following minutes were silent as they scoped out the area.

"Shh!" Abby raised a hand to the air. "What was that?"

Everyone froze, straining their ears. Then they heard it, a couple of shuffles and a thud ahead. Becker crouched lower and crept forward, signing to the others. A sharp clatter sounded as a soldier knocked a work tool to the floor. After cringing with the rest of the team, Becker gestured to the soldier in question to return to the SUV's. Heron started to comply, head down, knowing the punishment would come later.

Heavy whirring sounded ahead and cursing under his breath Matt lead the team on.

As the team approached the next hall in the warehouse a scream was heard and before the team had time to gather their wits, a creature charged them. Matt and Better took the first shots. Abby, diving out of the creatures path giving a small cry of help, but under the noise of crashing boxes, a spray of blood from the creatures injury and Bounty's yelp of pain as she was thrown to the side, no-one heard.

As quickly as the creature came, it was gone again, finding itself trapped and under fire it twisted in the enclosed space, showering more crates on the team, and returned to the other room.

While Becker and Matt helped Abby back to her feet, another primal scream sounded from the next room followed by a thud. The heavy whirring of industrial machinery continued in the ominous silence and the team didn't need to look into the room to know the creature was dead.

The team stood around the dead creature, first in slight shock at the brutality of its death. Then, they slipped into their normal attitudes, Abby mourning the loss of (what she had no reason to believe was) such a beautiful creature and Matt and Becker mentally debating the cleanup.

"Well," Matt broke the silence, "your job is animal transportation."

"I'm not a coroner!"

"It was an animal. The remains need to be moved. Get to work."

Becker glared at Matt and gestured at the creature. "It's missing a _head_." Matt gave him a pointed look. "I'll start the search then."

As the soldier walked away, shining his light in all crevices, Matt inspected the area around the dismembered body.

"Hey! Becker!" He saw the man tilt his head in acknowledgment and so he held up the object he'd discovered for the solder to see. "The dinosaur will be missing it's front horn."

"Great." The soldier turned to raise an eyebrow. "That'll help me distinguish it from all the _other_ dinosaur heads I find."

Both Jess and Lawrence were heard snorting with laughter over the comms.

The animal head was eventually recovered, having been transported a distance by one of the pieces of machinery. Jess, in the meantime, had organized a truck to remove the creature to a secure location and Matt busily organized everyone to assist in loading it.

A yelp from Bounty distracted Becker and Lawrence as they helped lift the dinosaur. She three legged-ly ran to Becker whining. Immediately dropping what he was doing, leaving another solider to run forward and take his place, Becker picked his girl up and carried her to a stack of wooden planks, depositing her and checking her over. As she had been running around the site, Bounty had cut a corner too closely and torn her leg on a nail.

Knowing the team was struggling without his help and they were unable to do anything about the injury until they returned to the ARC, Becker did what he could quickly. Telling the others to wait with the ex-incursion until he was done, he quickly removed his EMD, protective vest and shirt, then tied the back material of his shirt around the wound and re donned the other items.

-/-

_"Lawrence! Watch out!"_ Jess's voice her the concern which most associated with her worrying about Becker.

"I'm okay, Jess. Becker, we got a situation here."

Becker squinted at the truck as it left the site, wondering if he ought to have made it wait for their final sweep of the warehouse. "Go on." Turning, he raced back into the building and heading deep to where he knew Lawrence to be. Listening to the chatter he know there was another two incursions. One seemed serious. Lawrence was dealing with that one. From the trouble he was having he was guessing it was something from the future. The other incursion was nothing but a bird and the distance between the two were closing.

"Just a small bird, Jess. I'm surprised you caught it on the camera."

_"I miss nothing."_ Becker could almost see the cheeky smile on her face. He rounded the corner to join his teammates as a flurry of wings passed through the opposite door.

"Not a clue what the scary thing is- or how it's come from the same anomaly as these older animals. Well the dead one was a Uintatherium, from the Eocene. Sooo given the era… I'll give my Star Trek collection betting that that bird was a… Foro." Connor mumbled at first, then began to get excited. "Wow, a Foro. The fabled missing link. If we could study one we could prove or disprove an evolutionary link between a Cuckoo and Hoatzin! Maybe if we caught it and- " He broke off as he caught Becker's look. "I'll get down there and open up the-"

_"Anomaly fluctuations. Your anomaly is about to close Matt."_ Recent improvements in equipment sensitivity had allowed the team to pick up frequency patterns in the anomalies. Given the collected data they already had, they had been able to start monitoring the harmonics resonating and pick up on the first signs of the waves decaying.

"Damn!" The entire team swore.

"We need to get moving guys! We got about 5 minutes! Lawrence, future creature. You know what to do."

Lawrence did know what to do. Becker's code was for "Contain if you can, but under no circumstances let it leave the warehouse." Becker started to follow the direction of the supposed Foro, ready to start herding. "CONNOR!"

"'m going! 'm going!"

Connor had just left the vast room when Bounty picked up on what was happening. True to her thoroughbred Collie nature she rounded on the bird. Within seconds the two animals were dancing around each other, testing predator and prey, deciding who was who. Bounty then paced backwards, the bird following with a squawk. Bounty hunter turned and fled, the rest of the team broke a sweat trying to keep up, hoping that Connor would reach the anomaly before Bounty had lured the creature there.

-/-

"Bloody 'ell!" Connor jumped to the side as he cleared himself and the equipment from the animals bounding down the stairs to his level.

Adrenaline coursed through his veins as Becker reached the top of the steps. Looking down at the anomaly for the first time in the course of the incursion, he noticed the emptiness of the room about the center, the stone concrete floors and walls, echoing back every sound, and mostly he noticed the rapid fluctuations in the anomaly.

_"Five seconds." _Jess read from one of her screens before turning back to the video feed from the lower ground. _"What the- BOUNTY!"_

Jess screamed uselessly as Bounty Hunter jumped through the anomaly, baiting the bird to its homeland.

"BOUNTY!" Becker started to sprint from the steps, the others in tow. "BOUNTY!" Calling desperately for his dog he lost his footing and fell to the bottom of the staircase.

Matt and Abby jumped the last steps, terrified that the fall may have altered his sight once more but by the time they reached the man he was already on his feet, running once more for the anomaly.

"BECKER!" Abby attempted to call him back, Connor trying to grab at an arm. "BECKER!"

The anomaly started to fluctuate in size.

"BECKER DON'T! IT'S CLOSING!"

The army man continued to run making a last second leap at the orb, as he fell through the air they heard Jess's now-muted scream through their comms.

"It's closed!" Abby gasped.

_"Where is he? Where is he?!"_ Jess's cries came through to the team, forgetting, in her panic, to consult the screen in from of her.

"NO!" Becker pushed his upper body up with his arms and looked for the anomaly before pushing himself all the way to his feet. He spun on the spot once, then turned his attention to the ground where he knew his dog had made her leap.

"No." Becker's hands rose, fingers twisting in his hair as he looked.

She was gone and he froze.

Bounty, the beautiful, happy, fluffy tailed, wide eyed dog was gone.

His Bounty, the creature who saved his life, who rescued him from the deepest darkest despair was gone.

"Bounty."

He continued to stare at the ground. There was still a creature on the loose and he knew he should be helping Lawrence but it didn't matter. Nothing mattered. The world was wrong without her. She was all that was right, everything that his life was, the reason his life was good.

Becker just felt numb. Numb, with a gaping hole eating at his chest, somehow the emptiness weighed so heavy inside of him. Tears fell thickly from his eyes at the knowledge that his complaining was gone. She was lost.

A hand touched his shoulder and he knew Connor was behind him wearing the same shocked and disbelieving expression. He turned his head and saw his pale face and only one thought rang through his mind.

"Where is she?"

He had to know. It would eat at him if he didn't. But at the same time he was terrified. What if she were in the past? What if she were in the future? Neither option was favourable. They didn't even know what the future was, Becker just knew that those _things_, those predators, they were always present.

He didn't want to know.

He didn't know which would be worst.

But he had to.

Connor shook his head.

"Where?"

"Sorry, mate." He spoke softly and Becker's heart stopped. It was the future.

No. It was the past.

"I don't know."

"What?" Becker's eyes widened. He _had_ to know.

"I don't."

Connor took a step backwards as Becker's eyes narrowed.

"Where. Is. She."

"I don't know." The scientist looked close to tears at the loss of Bounty and the hurt on Becker's face.

"WHERE IS SHE CONNOR?"

"I- I don't know!" Connor looked around wildly, almost as if expecting Bounty Hunter to jump out, barking that she was still in the room. "I- I didn't get a chance to check the dating device. And it doesn't make sense here with them being past and that other creature future… I just- I didn't get a chance. I don't know how two times were here. Perhaps if two anomalies from past and future both opened here, at the same moment, with reverse polarity to one another, they may stabilise and allow both in but I don't- I'm sorry, Becker. I mean it could be Spaghetti Junction through there, I- I just- Becker I- I don't know. I don't."

Becker backed away from the older man, shaking his head in horror. "No. No. No." Glancing around all walls of the room he looked back at Connor, stepped forward once more and grabbing his shirt again, hissing as he spoke. "Make an opening device."

"What?"

"Helen Cutter used one. She said you can't always see anomalies but they're there. It's still here. You need to open it."

"Becker-"

"OPEN IT, CONNOR!"

"I'm sorry, man. I can't. I can't make an opening device."

"YOU CAN!"

He started to shake his head. "I- I'm not going to."

"CONNOR!" Becker started to shake the man in desperation. "GET MY DOG BACK!"

"Becker!" Matt tried to intervene. "Let Connor go."

"Not until he says he'll bring her back."

"He's right. He can't make an opening device- sorry- _shouldn't_ make an opening device. Becker, you have to understand. They're too risky. After everything that happened with New Dawn you should know that."

Connor slipped out of Becker's grasp as the soldier turned on his other colleague and friend.

"THERE'S NOTHING RISKY ABOUT IT! HE MAKES IT, WE BRING IT HERE, HE OPENS THE ANOMALY, WE GET BOUNTY, WE CLOSE THE ANOMALY AND DESTROY IT!"

"It's not going to happen, Becker."

"FOR GODS SAKE! How many times have I stopped you guys going through there? How many times have I saved you from them? And how many times have I let you go through when you asked? Just let me have this! PLEASE!"

They all looked at the man with sorrowful eyes, Jess's quite sobbing making a soundtrack to the silence. Becker, big, strong, action man Becker was begging them and, that which was in their power to do, they wouldn't. They shouldn't.

"Come on, Becker. Let's get you back to the ARC."

He shook his head, ignoring the tears, part of his mind thinking of how Bounty once licked them away. Back before Jess. Back before he regained his sight. Back when she was the only light in his dark. "No." He looked at the ground, almost seeing the ghost of Bounty's paw prints where she jumped. "I'm not leaving."

"The anomaly isn't going to reopen."

"I don't care."

Becker moved to the side of the room and sat heavily on the floor, never taking his eyes off the spot from which Bounty vanished.

-/-

Becker pushed his team mates off him and ran for the anomaly, finding himself in the past. His sight was clear for a moment as his surroundings were illuminated by the orb. Then the light vanished. Out in the long grassy plain he saw his precious dog, chased by a raptor.

He tried to shoot the predator with his EMD but when he made to lift the gun from his side, it melted away into water.

"BOUNTY!" The man screamed at the top of his voice. Hoping with every fiber of his being that the dog would survive. He ran after the animals, feet flying faster than ever before. Trees suddenly approached obscuring some of his sight but he only increased his pace. The forest braches whipped back at his face, tearing long gashes into his cheeks.

"Bounty!"

Pushing through thick foliage he finally came to an opening.

After staring in shock at the sudden change in surroundings he realised he was in the future he once visited when they had to save that Maitland child.

Then horror hit him.

The Future Predators.

He needed something loud. Something that would distract them from his search for his dog. Time blurred as he made a makeshift wind chime from discarded pieces of metal. Hanging it from a useless power cable he stood back in satisfaction before beginning to call for his puppy.

Searching, he found himself back at the sight of the anomaly he had once entered through, now closed. Ahead of him he recognised the stretch of road he had run down during his suicide mission to save the team and there, hiding under one of the cars, was Bounty.

"Bounty! Bounty Hunter!" He called softly, not wanting to draw attention away from the chiming metal which was being torn into by multiple predators.

The dog heard her master, her head spun in his direction, ears perking up and she gave a low keen. Relief flooded through him. He had found her.

"Come here girl! Come here, sweetie."

Shuffling out from her hiding place, Bounty started to creep forward, keeping close to the ground. Then, when no threat appeared, she increased her pace until she was flat out sprinting.

Only a moment too late the two noticed the young Future Predator.

…

No. No! It couldn't happen. Becker's unconscious determination changed the events and the dream back-paced.

...

There, hiding under one of the cars, was Bounty.

"Bounty! Bounty Hunter!" He called softly, not wanting to draw attention away from the chiming metal which was being torn into by multiple predators. But he wasn't loud enough, she couldn't hear him over the clatter of the metal.

"BOUNTY!"

He had to risk it. If he didn't she would die. Running from his cover he drew the attention of several predators.

He had given both their positions away.

…

No! No! He had to get her to safety.

And there hiding under one of the cars was Bounty…

* * *

The next morning Becker refused to leave his bed. He was phoned by each member of the team, and two, at least, knock on his door, but he refused to converse with them, with anyone. It was late afternoon before Jess finally managed to persuade him to let her in.

They sat in quiet for a few minutes until Becker shortly asked what she wanted.

"I- Um- I've lost a dog before. I- I was thinking that you may- well that I could help."

He looked up with bleak blank eyes. "How can you help?" His eyes were watering up again.

Jess looked nervous, uncertain. She bit her lip and fiddled with the hem of her skirt before looking up at him, their watery eyes meeting. "Would you-" she swallowed, "can- Come with me?" She stood and held out her hand, inviting him to join her.

-/-

The soldier sat in the car, stunned. Throughout the entire journey he made not a noise, barely moved, not caring where Jess was taking him, not bothering to ask. He just watched the outside with the same cold blank eyes.

Jess was half tempted to call him up on his actions, not appreciating his surroundings, as she often did to get her way and to draw him out when he was being surly. But it wasn't going to work. The sight of him so closed scared her. She knew Becker was one to shut the world to his heart but- this wasn't his heart he was shutting. His mind wasn't there. Becker literally did not care about anything going on around him. He was stoic.

When Jess finally pulled to a halt, she moved to Becker's side of the car and gently coaxed him out. It was then that Becker took note of what was around him.

The immaculately kept lawn caught his attention first, then the perfect picket fence and the bold coloured shrubbery that made the borders. Raising his eyes, he realized how dry they were from his excessive crying, forgetting again about where he was and thinking only of Bounty.

"Becker." Jess gently pulled his arm towards the front door.

When Jess started to fish some keys from her bag, Becker's eyes fixed onto the wooden engraving handing by the door "The Parkers."

"Jess, no."

"What?"

"No. This isn't the best time to meet the family. Jess. I can't."

"They're not in." He still looked uncertain. "I promise you, Becker. It's okay. Please, trust me."

The man took a deep breath before accepting her outstretched hand.

If he were in any other mood, Becker would have taken the time and care to notice his surroundings. Trying to find out all he could about the place where his Miss Jessie P grew up. When she lead him upstairs and into her childhood bedroom Becker would have looked carefully around the room. He would have noted the ballet pictures, dance pumps draped over computer equipment, a floral dress from a flamenco competition hung proudly on the wall next to science prizes.

Instead, out of force of habit, he made her messy bed to sit down on.

"I- I stayed here last night." Jess waved at her bed covers by way of explanation.

He looked at her in slight confusion.

"I came back here because, well, because when Fey- remember my dog? Well when she died I was inconsolable. I was hoping that being here, where I tried to get over her death, I hoped it would bring me some comfort about Bounty going through the anomaly. And well…" Jess turned away to collect a notebook from her bedside table, flicking to a page she looked down and then pressed it to her chest. She pulled an uncertain face. "Here."

Had anyone else been given the photo which was stuck in the notepad, they would have focused on Jess. The girl was wearing a bright pink, filly princess gown, a plastic tiara on her curled hair, glitter covering her and a Happy Birthday banner hanging in the background.

But Becker only had eyes for the figure in her arms.

"Bounty!" He looked stunned, shell shocked. Jess decided to explain.

"I didn't think about it until I remembered you came back from work without your shirt on." She said. "You'd tied it on Bounty." She wobbled on her feet as she moved nervously. "It made me think of Fey. You see… she came to me injured. She followed me home from school. Wouldn't stop. It was as if she knew me. She- She- I made Mum and Dad let me look after her. Then they fell in love with her too."

But Becker didn't hear her words.

"She's dead." His voice was thick. "You told me. She is dead."

"Oh, Becker-"

"My dog is dead."

"That's not it Becker. That's not the point."

He looked up at Jess for half a moment before returning his sights to the picture in his hands.

"What is?"

Jess felt her heart break for him.

"The point is that she lived, Becker." She dropped to her knees in front of him. Her hands reaching around him to grasp the hem of his shirt, cold fingers touching his warm skin. "She wasn't stuck in a past era, or in the future. She was here. In this time. With a family that loved her just _so_ much."

"But, Jess." He leant forward, placing his forehead against hers, still looking at the picture. "I don't care." Feeling her tense he continued. "I want her here. I want.." He took a deep, shuddering breath, his voice breaking. "I want her back. Jess, don't you see? She saved my life. If it weren't for Bounty…" He removed a hand from the picture to brush his fingers over Jess's face then dropped it back to his lap. "You and me… We wouldn't be you and me. There wouldn't be any 'us.' I would have never made it back to the ARC. I would never have left Marianne. I'd never have got her back to start with and it's only by getting her back, by finally seeing her in my blindness, that I understood how deeply I feel for you.

"It's all thanks to Bounty, Jess. I want her back. I need her back."

"You can't have her." Jess whispered her words, unsure of how they would be taken. "She's already lived an entire life. A full life. She was happy."

"So, she forgot me then." His voice was low and broken.

"No! No, Becker! Not in the slightest! She _never_ forgot you!"

"Then why didn't she find _me_?" He finally stopped gripping the edges of the notebook with one hand so that he could trace a finger over the image of his girl.

Jess sniffed, finding the entire conversation hard. She wanted Bounty back too. She wanted the puppy that she could hold in her arms. The one that woke her up the morning before with a lick to the nose. But she'd had that dog before when she was younger. Fey, jumping up on her covers of a morning and licking her until her resolve gave in and Jess rolled out of bed. She had had that.

"Maybe she didn't know where to look."

"She could have found me. If she found you she could have found me. She forgot."

"No, Becker. _You're_ forgetting." Jess tilted her head so that she could see his eyes clearly. "Think about all the things that I suggested we did with Bounty. I told you she would like Lord Of The Rings. Remember? When Lord Of The Rings first came out on video my brother bought it. He'd loved the film and books. He put it in straight away and Fey heard it and watched it. She loved that film. I remember because I'd been ill and in bed. She had been looking after me but then just left. I was so confused that she would do that. She always stayed with me.

"Oh! It makes so much sense, Becker. And I said about not introducing her to tennis balls, I said about teaching Bounty to dance to I'm Gunna Be 500 miles. Remember? I said these things because Fey loved them. Fey loved them because she was Bounty. Because she remembered you. Because these things reminded her of you. I could never get Bounty to dance when you weren't there. She did it for you. To remember you. She loved you, Becker. She loved you."

His face screwed up in pain. "God, this isn't helping. I want her back. I don't want her to have just remembered me. I want her with me." He let out a harsh breath. "Jess."

She threw herself on him, them both falling back on the bed. "I'm so sorry!"

"You didn't make her go through." He turned them onto their sides, Jess's head resting on one of his arms.

"I'm the reason she's dead. I'm sorry. If it weren't for me she'd still be alive. You would still be able to see her. I'm sorry, Becker." Her words were a rush, trying to escape before the next sob forced it's way up her throat.

The man closed his arms around her, pulling her into his chest.

"How?" Becker swallowed as he heard his voice wobble. "How did it happen?"

Jess took a deep, shuddering breath. "I- I was being bullied." Jess was silent for a while longer as she tried to regain some composure. "I- was walking home from school one day and… and… they wouldn't leave me alone." She sniffed again. "They started to get aggressive. Fey- Bounty- she heard me cry for help. She- she came and barked at them. Warning them to get away from me. They ran. But one of the boys he- he ran into the road. And there was a car coming and it was going to hit him and-" Jess took a huge chocking breath. "And- and-."

Becker tightened his grip, he could tell where it was going.

"She- she ran into the road and jumped at him and pushed him and he fell out of the way but… but… Becker, it's all my fault! She…"

"It's okay, Jess." His voice was tense. "She loved you too. What about the boy?"

"What about him?"

"Well, was he hurt?"

"No, well, the wing mirror caught his arm and broke it. But he was okay."

"So it wasn't for nothing."

"No. Nothing she did was for nothing."

Half an hour later Jess pulled him up off the bed again, then disappeared under in to retrieve a box. Leading the way again, she carried the box downstairs, through the house and out the back door to the yard.

In a back corner, between two maple trees, lay a large logged trunk of a tree that once stood in that spot, the meaning of the spot was clear.

Jess gently slid to her knees in front of the tree remains and opened the box on her lap. Looking back up to Becker she handing him a piece of cloth.

The soldier knelt down into the soft dirt, the shirt he had lost just the day before resting on his lap, his fingers playing at the now old and tattered hem. Jess slipped her bottom from her heels to the ground, leaning on Becker. Linking their arms she slid her fingers down to intertwine with his.

"I miss her."

"Me too, Becker."

He blinked at the tears several times. "I'm never going to get her back."

Jess felt terrible for taking away the small hope he had nurtured, the small hope that, sometime in the future, Bounty Hunter would come bouncing back through an anomaly.

"I'm sorry."  
Dragging his eyes from the grave Becker looked at the women at his side. At the feel of his fingers tightening their grip on her, Jess glanced up.  
The shine of her eyes reminded Becker faintly of a dream he once had, a nightmare where all that he loved faded. Keeping his grip on the shirt, he lifted his arm over and around Jess to encase her and press a kiss to her head.

"Don't leave me."

The wind picked up, whipping Jess's hair into their faces. She smiled sadly up at him, squeezing his hand.

"I'm not going anywhere."

* * *

Oh god please don't hate me!

This is it! I can't believe it's finally over!

I hope you all got that reference to the dream there! I've been planning to use it for over a year now! Gheeze!

The worlds BIGGEST thank you to EVERYONE who has R&Red and Favourited and Followed and I want to write all your names out here like I normally do but it will delay my posting this by another hour at least if I do and I think I've left you waiting long enough.

However a special thanks is to SLP for giving me this plot bunny. How I laugh when I remember that I asked her "Would you like this to be a one-shot, I think I can do that"!

Wow.

I'm actually a little sad now! Bye bye my dear story! I hope everyone has enjoyed reading this as I have loved writing it!


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